Microsoft, Sun deliver Java plan

WASHINGTON: Microsoft Corp. and rival Sun Microsystems Inc. have delivered a plan to a federal judge laying out how Microsoft will obey a court order to distribute Sun's Java programming language in its Windows operating system, representatives of the companies said.

After a weekend of negotiations, lawyers for both sides agreed on a joint proposal for U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz in Baltimore that outlines how Microsoft should comply with an order by the judge that Microsoft include Sun's Java in Windows within 120 days.

"The parties have worked together over the past couple of days to craft language that is responsive to the court's guidance," Microsoft spokesman Jim Desler said.

"He (Motz) indicated he would enter the order very shortly," said Sun spokeswoman Lisa Poulson.

Neither Poulson nor Desler would comment on the details of the injunction until it is formally entered by the judge.

Desler said Microsoft would file an appeal of the injunction with the U.S. appeals court in Richmond soon after the order is entered.

Sun complained to Motz that Microsoft wanted to take up to a year before including the Java program in copies of Windows it sells. Microsoft told the judge that shipping Java with Windows was not a simple matter and a sudden change in the operating system could harm large corporate users of Windows.

After listening to arguments from both sides at a hearing last week, Motz said he wanted Java in Windows within 120 days and pushed the two sides to compromise on a handful of other issues. He also agreed to stay his 120-day requirement for two weeks to give the appeals court time to consider Microsoft's expected appeal.

© Reuters